1960 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1960 Atlantic hurricane season was an average season, with 10 named storms and 7 hurricanes. The 1960 hurricane season saw a late start when Arthur formed on August 28. Although late, the season proved to be deadly and costly. Arthur killed 1000 in the US and caused almost a billion dollars in damages in early September. September also saw, Bertha, Cristobal, Diane and Edward, none of which affected land although Edward continued into October. October brought Edward, Fran, Gustav, Hortense, and Isidore, of which Edward and Gustav were the most notable. Edward affected Central America in early October, causing deaths and damage over there. Gustav moved an erratic track through Central America, Cuba, Bahamas, Florida and finally dissipated over Mexico. The hurricane wreaked havoc on those countries in mid October, killing over 200 people and causing almost a billion dollars worth of damage. November saw only one storm, Josephine. Josephine killed 196 people in Jamaica and Hispaniola in early November and caused 570$ million in damages. Overall the 1960 season saw 1348 deaths and 2.4$ billion in damages. *Last Season:1959 Atlantic hurricane season *Next Season:1961 Atlantic hurricane season Section heading Hurricane Arthur A depression formed in the central Atlantic on August 28, which was a record latest. The depression became Tropical Storm Arthur later that day. Arthur moved northwestwards and entered the northern Caribbean Sea on August 30. Arthur moved south of Puerto Rico and made landfall in Hispaniola as a weak tropical storm on September 2. Arthur reemerged to the Caribbean later that day. Arthur parraleled the southern coast of Cuba. As Arthur entered the Gulf of Mexico on the 6, it started to strengthen rapidly. Arthur peaked as a 145 mph Category 4 hurricane on September 8 as it moved towards Texas. Arthur made landfall in Galeston, Texas at that intensity. Arthur rapidly weakened over land, becoming a tropical storm on the 9. It moved northeastwards, and became extratropical over Iowa on the 11. Arthur killed up to 1000 people in the US, making it one of the deadliest in the country. It caused 900$ million in damages. Hurricane Bertha A low exited out of Africa in late August. On August 29, a depression formed and became Tropical Storm Bertha later that day. On September 1, Bertha became a hurricane as it continued northwestwards. Bertha peaked as a 105 mph Category 2 hurricane on the 3, as it recurved northeastwards. Bertha weakened, and dissipated on the 11 without affecting any landmass. Hurricane Cristobal On September 16, a depression formed in the central Atlantic. Later that day, it became Tropical Storm Cristobal. Cristobal moved northwestwards, and as it recurved northeastwards, it started to strengthen to a 100 mph Category 2 hurricane on the 20. Cristobal slowly weakened, dissipating on the 22 without affecting any landmass. Tropical Storm Diane Tropical Storm Diane formed north of the Caribbean on September 19. Diane moved northwards. It peaked as a 60 mph tropical storm on the 24. After peaking, Diane moved westwards and due to cooler waters, dissipated on the 26 without affecting any landmass. Hurricane Edward A depression formed in the southern Caribbean on September 28. The depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Edward the next day. Edward moved northwestwards, briefly hitting the Nicaragua/Costa Rica border and strengthened. It became an 80 mph Category 1 hurricane on October 1 as it made landfall near the Mexico/Belize border. Edward slowly weakened, and dissipated over Mexico on the 4. Edward caused 3 deaths and 10$ million in damages. Hurricane Fran A depression formed very near to where Edward formed. On October 1, a tropical storm formed in the southern Caribbean. Fran moved northeastwards, making landfall in Hispaniola as a strong tropical storm on the 4. Fran weakened over land, but exited out of the Caribbean as a strong tropical storm. Fran further intensified into a 120 mph Category 3 hurricane just east of Bermuda. After affecting Bermuda, Fran weakened, dissipating on the 11 in the open Atlantic. Fran caused 9 deaths in Hispaniola and 30$ million in damages. Fran also caused 1$ million in damages in Bermuda but no deaths. Hurricane Gustav A wave exited out of Africa in early October. It showed no signs of weakening, until it was in the southern Caribbean. A depression formed on October 8, near where Fran and Edward formed. Gustav headed west and rapidly intensified. It made landfall in Nicaragua as a weak Category 3 hurricane on the 10. It reemerged into the Gulf of Honduras as a tropical storm on the 14. Gustav curved to the northwest, towards Cuba, and again intensified. Gustav made landfall as a 120 mph Category 3 hurricane in southern Cuba on the 17. The hurricane hit Florida on the 18. It continued northwest, but then recurved southwest while over the Bahamas. Gustav again made landfall in Florida as a weak Category 1 hurricane and became a tropical depression over Florida. It continued southwest as a tropical depression, making landfall in the Yucatan Peninsula on the 23. It dissipated later that day. Gustav wreaked havoc in Central America, Cuba and Florida. Gustav killed 29 in Cuba and 200$ million in damages. Damage in Florida was even more severe. Gustav killed 200 and caused 420$ million in damages. In Nicaragua, Gustav killed 11 and caused 300$ million in damages. In total, Gustav killed 240 and caused 920$ million in damages. Tropical Storm Hortense A low formed over the Atlantic in mid October. The low became a depression on October 17, and a tropical storm later that day. Hortense moved northeastwards in the open Atlantic, peaking as a 50 mph tropical storm on the 18, and becoming extratropical on the 19. Hortense affected no landmass. Tropical Storm Isidore A low exited out of South Carolina in mid October. Moving over warm water, a depression formed on October 20, and a tropical storm later that day. Isidore moved southeast, and recurved northwest on the 21. Isidore weakened due to wind shear, and dissipated on the 23 without affecting any landmass. Hurricane Josephine Josephine formed in the southwestern Caribbean Sea, the same area that hurricanes Edward, Fran and Gustav formed. Josephine became a tropical storm on November 8. Moving northwestwards, Josephine intensified. On the 11, Josephine brushed Jamaica. It finally made landfall on the 12 in Hispaniola as an 85 mph Category 1 hurricane. Josephine briefly weakened over the island. After reemerging into the Atlantic, Josephine intensified, peaking as a 105 mph Category 2 hurricane as it curved eastwards. Josephine became extratropical in the northeastern Leeward Islands on the 14. Josephine caused 30 deaths in Jamaica and 70$ million in damages. Josephine killed 166 in Hispaniola and caused 500$ million in damage. Overall, Josephine caused 196 deaths and 570$ million in damages. Section heading These names were used in the 1960 Atlantic hurricane season. The names not retired from the list will be used again in 1966. The list is the same for 1954, except for Cristobal, Diane and Kyle, which replaced Cesar, Diana and Klaus. Storms were named Cristobal and Diana for the first time in 1960. Names that were not used are marked in gray. Arthur Hortense Omar (unused) Bertha Isidore Paloma (unused) Cristobal Josephine Rene (unused) Diane Kyle (unused) Sally (unused) Edward Lili (unused) Teddy (unused) Fran Marco (unused) Vicky (unused) Gustav Nana (unused) Wilfred (unused) Retirement: The names Arthur, Gustav and Josephine were retired in 1960. They were replaced by Arturo, Gus and Josephina for 1966. Category:Hypothetical Events Category:Hypothetical Disasters Category:Hypothetical Hurricanes Category:Hurricanes Category:Past Events Category:Past disasters Category:Past Atlantic hurricane seasons Category:Past Hurricanes Category:Events in the 1960s Category:What Could Have Been